Crying (Roy Orbison song)

"Crying" is a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson for Orbison's third studio album of the same name (1962). Released in 1961, it was a number 2 hit in the US for Orbison and was covered in 1978 by Don McLean, whose version went to number 1 in the UK in 1980.

"Crying"
Single by Roy Orbison
from the album Crying
B-side	"Candy Man"
Published	August 16, 1961 (1961-08-16) Acuff-Rose Publications, Inc.[1]
Released	July 1961 (1961-07)
Recorded	June 26, 1961[2]
Studio	RCA Victor Studio B, Nashville[2]
Genre	Country rock
Length	2:46
Label	Monument 447
Songwriter(s)	Roy Orbison Joe Melson
Producer(s)	Fred Foster
Roy Orbison singles chronology
"Running Scared" / "Love Hurts" (1961) "Crying" (1961) "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)" (1962)

Composition

Dave Marsh calls the song a "rock-bolero" with "blaring strings, hammered tympani, a ghostly chorus, the gentle strum of a guitar, [and] a hint of marimba".^[3] Billboard observes an "expressive reading" on the "country-flavored ballad."^[4] The personnel on the original recording included Orbison session regulars Bob Moore on bass; Floyd Cramer on piano; Buddy Harman on drums; and Boudleaux Bryant, Harold Bradley,^[5] and Scotty Moore^[6] on guitar.

Release and reception

The song was released as a 45-rpm single by Monument Records in mid-July 1961^[7] and reached No. 1 on the United States Cashbox chart for a week on October 7, 1961. On the rival Billboard Hot 100 it peaked at No. 2, where "Hit the Road Jack" by Ray Charles and his Orchestra kept it from No. 1.^[8] Despite not reaching the summit in the latter publication, Billboard ranked the record as the No. 4 song of 1961.^[9]

In 2002, "Crying" was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. In 2010, Rolling Stone ranked it 69th on their list of the "500 greatest songs of all time".^[10]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1961) Peak position Canada (CHUM Hit Parade)[11] 3 UK Singles (OCC)[12] 25 US Billboard Hot 100[13] 2 US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[14] 1 Chart (1992) Peak position UK Singles (OCC)[12] 13

Year-end charts Chart (1961) Position US Billboard Hot 100[15] 4

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[16]	Silver	200,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Don McLean version

"Crying"
Single by Don McLean
from the album Chain Lightning
B-side	"Genesis (In the Beginning)"
Released	1980
Genre	Country easy listening
Length	3:35
Label	Millennium
Songwriter(s)	Roy Orbison Joe Melson
Don McLean singles chronology
"Since I Don't Have You" (1978) "Crying" (1980) "It's Just the Sun" (1981)

Don McLean's recording of the song went to No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1981.^[17] It also reached No. 2 adult contemporary and No. 6 Country. It fared even better in the UK, where it reached No. 1 in 1980, spending three weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart.^[18] "Crying" was taken from his 1978 album, Chain Lightning. It became his second biggest hit in America.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1980–1981) Peak position Australia 27 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[19] 1 Canada RPM Top Singles 7 Canada RPM Country 1 Ireland (IRMA)[20] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] 1 New Zealand[22] 11 South Africa (Springbok)[23] 3 UK Singles Chart 1 US Billboard Hot 100[24] 5 US Billboard Adult Contemporary 2 US Billboard Country 6 US Cash Box Top 100[25] 6

Year-end charts Chart (1980) Rank Australia[26] 119 Netherlands[27] 5 South Africa[28] 19 UK Singles Chart[29] 15 Chart (1981) Rank Canada[30] 49 US Billboard Hot 100[31] 40 US Cash Box[32] 52

Sales and certifications

Certifications for "Crying"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Netherlands (NVPI)[33]	Gold	100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[34]	Silver	250,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Roy Orbison and k.d. lang version

"Crying"
Single by Roy Orbison and k.d. lang
from the album King of Hearts and Hiding Out soundtrack
B-side	"Falling"
Released	1987
Length	3:48
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Roy Orbison Joe Melson
Producer(s)	Don Was David Was Pete Anderson
Roy Orbison singles chronology
"In Dreams" (1987) "Crying" (1987) "Handle with Care" (1988)
k.d. lang singles chronology
"Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray" (1987) "Crying" (1987) "Honky Tonk Angels Medley" (1988)

Orbison rerecorded the song as a duet with Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang as part of the soundtrack to the motion picture Hiding Out and released it as a single in 1987. Their collaboration won the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. It reached No. 2 in Lang's native Canada, and No. 28 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and No. 42 on the Hot Country Singles chart in the US. In 1992, it reached the charts in the UK and Ireland, peaking at No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 9 on the Irish Singles Chart. It returned to the US Adult Contemporary chart in 1993, peaking at No. 40.

Track listings

7-inch and cassette single (1987, 1992)^[35][36][37]

1. "Crying" (with k.d. lang) – 3:48
2. "Falling" – 2:22

UK CD1 and Australian CD single (1992)^[38]

1. "Crying" (with k.d. lang)
2. "Falling"
3. "Oh, Pretty Woman"
4. "She's a Mystery to Me"

UK CD2 (1992)^[39]

1. "Crying" (with k.d. lang)
2. "Falling"
3. "Only the Lonely"
4. "It's Over"

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1988) Peak position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[40] 2 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[41] 5 Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[42] 25 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[43] 47 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[44] 28 US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[45] 42 Chart (1992–1993) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[46] 71 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[47] 36 Ireland (IRMA)[20] 9 UK Singles (OCC)[48] 13 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[49] 40

Year-end charts Chart (1988) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[50] 45

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	November 1987	7-inch vinyl	Virgin
Canada
Australia	February 1988
United Kingdom	August 10, 1992	7-inch vinyl CD1 cassette		[51]
	August 17, 1992	CD2		[52]
Japan	November 18, 1992	Mini-CD		[53]

Notable cover versions

• A version by Jay and the Americans reached No. 25 in the US in 1966.
• Three other cover versions made country music charts over time. Charting with the song were:
  • Del Shannon (1964)
  • Arlene Harden (No. 28 in 1970),^[54]
  • Ronnie Milsap (No. 79 in 1976)^[55]
  • Stephanie Winslow (No. 14 in 1980).^[56]
• Rebekah Del Rio performed an a cappella Spanish language version of the song entitled "Llorando" in the 2001 David Lynch film Mulholland Drive.^[57]
• Waylon Jennings (1964)

Appearances in film, television and other media

• US presidential candidate Mitt Romney mentioned this song among his top 19 songs of all time in March 2012.^[58]
• In 2011, "Crying" was featured in the American comedy-drama film 50/50.^[59]
• "Crying" was featured in an episode of Only Fools and Horses. The episode "Stage Fright" featured Raquel and a guest character (Tony Angelino, played by Philip Pope) singing this song at a function. Angelino had a rhotacism, causing him to pronounce his Rs incorrectly.
• "Crying" was featured in The Walking Dead television series in season 7, episode 3, "The Cell". The song is played by Dwight for Daryl in his cell after he was given an image of Glenn Rhee's deceased body. This is done in an attempt to break Daryl's spirit so that he might switch to the Saviors.^{[citation needed]}

The song is also used in the 1997 film "Gummo".